On November 25, 2025, the results of the architectural design competition for the New Library complex in Rzeszow were announced. According to the announcement, the "best library in the world" is to be built on Pilsudski Avenue in Rzeszow. The jury was not unanimous in selecting the winners of the first prize, which was awarded to the team of Kengo Kuma & Associates and Shick Architekci studios. Some of the members of the jury issued a statement of a votum separatum, the content of which is reproduced below.
Rzeszow, November 25, 2025
Statement,
We express our deep concern about the quality of the competition proceedings for the New Library Cultural Facility
In our opinion, basic principles were violated:
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The work that won the 1st prize is burdened with a number of defects of substantive nature, impossible to repair, and according to the Rules of the Competition should not be among the works awarded with the 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize
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The procedure for selecting the work awarded the 1st prize was fraught with a number of procedural and formal irregularities and was non-transparent.
The details of the violations were described and signed by 4 judges:
Piotr Śmierzewski - Chairman of the Competition Jury, SARP Szczecin,
Cezary Szpytma - referee, SARP Rzeszow,
Wojciech Fałat - competition judge, SARP Rzeszów,
Jakub Krzysztofik - competition judge, SARP Łódź,
in an extensive 10-page dissenting sentence to the jury's verdict (votum separatum), which is attached to the minutes of the deliberations and documentation of the Competition.
